Hi Jenny,

You're lucky! I had several joyrides last time. In fact, I am a sucker for free joyrides. I just use my reporter's credential and told them fyling clubs that I am writing a piece on flying and in no time, I am offered a joyride. But I always come up with at least a picture caption for my paper to publish after the ride.

The blue one in your photo is a Cessna. I guess you didn't try flying the aircraft when in the air right, coz you were sitting on the back? Try sitting in the co-pilot's seat sometimes and ask the captain to let you do some simple right or left turning. It will be fun!

Hi, good tip. I'm a pilot with a license for small aircraft (although I don't get to fly much of late) and have taken friends and my Missus up several times and, as you say, the sensation is quite different from larger aircraft.

One things that it's good to check if you're going for a flight is whether your pilot chum will be practicing any unusual manoeuvres - if stalls, spins, steep turns or a practice emergency landing are likely to be part of your flight then prepare yourself for more bumps and shakes than usual!

Also, if it's been a particularly hot day or its a bit windy then the aircraft might get pushed around a bit more than usual.

Hi Kevin,

It's good to know that one of us here is a pilot. I was in a joyride once in a twin seater aircraft. I think it was an MD3 Aerotiga aircraft made in Malaysia. Can't really remember exactly because it was 10 years ago.

I asked the pilot to do the Figure of Eight and he did it!

Jenny- if you don't know this, this is a maneuvre that resembles the number 8. See the number 8? That's right, the plane spirals down like the number 8! I think Kevin can better explain this.

Kevin, is it legal for a PPL pilot to do this maneuvre? Maybe the pilot who flew me had a CPL or something.

I have been meaning to get a PPL in Malaysia. It costs a whooping RM25,000 (US$8,000). While I save money for that, well, it's just joyrides for me for now.

Good way to see the sights!